Top Colorado Trout Streams
Rio Grande, Colorado
By GORP Expert Angler Mark D. Williams
I believe the mighty Rio Grande flows through the prettiest scenery in Colorado. The water is as clear as air, the air is clean, the mountains majestic, and the trout plentiful. And the river holds some whoppers.
Shadow-angling on the Rio Grande
Once I went on a Rio Grande guided raft trip to fish for big brown trout with guide Chris Gentry and my brother-in-law, Kenny. Tall and lanky, Chris moves around with the alternate grace and clumsiness of a Weimaraner puppy.
Ten minutes into the trip, Kenny was casting beautifully from the bow of the boat, his high-dollar, eight-foot rod held high. Chris remarked that it sure seemed that Kenny liked taking risks — he had been tossing big Stimulators right at the shoreline, then letting the fly float dangerously close to overhanging branches. Chris's comment sounded to me like a courtesy warning, but Kenny laughed it off and kept up his wild-man casting.
At first I thought someone had fired off a shot at us. The crack and then pop startled both Chris and me, and we looked up to see Kenny holding a four-foot section of rod. The other four feet were somewhere in the river.
He had snagged a branch, and when he went to pop it off, instead of leaving the fly and a bit of tippet hanging from the tree, his fancy rod broke in two places. Kenny looked like he'd just shot his best bird dog.
We had no extra rods — and I sure wasn't giving him mine — so he duck-taped what was left of his expensive rod, shook his head, and got back to the business of fishing. To our surprise, for the next hour, Kenny caught fish after fish, his stiff pole never bending as he played the trout. His casting improved every few feet downriver, and despite the fact it looked like he was trying to chop wood instead of delicately land a size-10 fly, he got fairly good at it. His mending left a bit to be desired, but I did have twice the rod he did. Because the stumpy rod gave no leverage and wouldn't act as a shock absorber, he had to play each fish carefully and let them tire themselves out.
The clincher was when Kenny hooked up with another fish. Since he had no rod-tip to bend and give a clue how large it was, we only realized its size when we netted it: Twenty inches and two and a half pounds of brown trout. On a four-foot fly rod. With a grin as big as Colorado.
Neither of us had ever seen anything like it.
Practicalities
Topos and other maps: USGS Pole Creek Mountain, Finger Mesa, Little Squaw Creek, Bristol Head, Workman Creek, Creede, Wagon Wheel Gap, South Fork West, South Fork East, Indian Head, and USFS Rio Grande National Forest.
Location: Southwestern Colorado near Creede, South Fork.
Description: Freestone river with pools, riffles and lots of pocket water.
Directions: Highway 160 parallels the river before Del Norte to South Fork. From South Fork upstream, Highway 149 follows the river to Creede.
Lodging, camping: Thirty-mile Campground, Rio Grande Campground, Palisade Campground. In South Fork, try the Foothills Lodge (970-873-5969). In Creede, the Creede Hotel (970-658-2608), and on the river, the Wason Ranch (970-658-2413). Others: Rainbow Lodge (970-873-5571), South Fork Lodge (970-873-5303), and 4UR Ranch (970-658-2413).
Accesses: Plenty of well-marked public accesses and pullouts along the river, but there is a mix of private and public water near the 4UR Ranch. Be sure to check the handbook. Anglers may float the entire river but may not get onshore or private land without permission.
Season: Mid-June (during normal runoff) to late September. There is no closed season for angling on the Rio Grande. When the crowds leave, August and September can provide an incredible angling experience.
Tackle: 8=- to 9-foot rod with 4- to 6-weight line. In the heat of summer, wet wading is fine. Otherwise wear chest waders.
Flies: Blue-winged Olive 1418, Elk Hair Caddis 1016, Midge Cluster 1418, Green Wulff 1014, Brown Wulff 1014, Royal Wulff 1016, Sofa Pillow 28, Rio Grande King 1014, Humpy 1016, Green Drake 1014, Royal Trude 1016, Lime Trude 1016, Adams 1020, Irresistible 1016, Pale Morning Dun 1418, Renegade 1016, Stimulator (yellow, orange, tan) 612, Yellow Sally 812, H & L Variant (House and Lot) 1016, Double Hackle Peacock 28, Prince Nymph 1014, Pheasant Tail 1014, Sparkle Caddis Emerger 1216, Bitch Creek 410, Girdle Bug 410, Dark Stonefly Nymph 26, Golden Stonefly nymph 48, Woolly Bugger 410, Spruce Fly 28, Zonker 26, Muddler Minnow 410, Zug Bug 1014, Hare's Ear 818, Midge Pupa 1824, Comparadun 1016.
Regulations: Special regulations exist for several sections of the river. Look closely at the handbook since there are numerous changes along the way including Gold Medal Water regulations.
Species of game fish: Brown, rainbow, and some cutthroat and brook trout. Rainbows average 1215 inches, browns 1214 inches.
Hazards: Be careful: Wading during high water and rafting during runoff means knowing if your craft can fit under the bridges.
Highlights: The Green Drake and Caddis hatches in early and midsummer.
Scenery: The beauty of the Rio Grande as it collects in the rugged San Juan Mountains may be unparalleled by any other western river. This is wild country punctuated by dense forests, stunning mountain vistas, and steep, dark canyons.
Navigable: Fishing from a raft is a great choice for anglers. Several outfitters and fly shops in Creede, Durango, Lake City, and Alamosa can help you.
Other: Sportsman Fly Shop in Lake City (970-944-2526), Rio Grande Anglers (719-658-2955), and Ramble House (719-658-2482) in Creede; Duranglers and Durango Fly Goods in Durango.
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Article ©
Mark D. Willliams, 2000.
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